First, let me thank all of you who wrote following my last newsletter. Your compassion and empathy are very reassuring and appreciated. Both are battery chargers.

       I am, as are most, shocked by how quickly the Taliban seized control of the country. The media had reported the Afghan army has 300,000 soldiers including 10,000 who “are highly trained and well equipped”. We knew the Taliban could gain control over less populated areas. The question was could they gain and hold control of the cities? Surely, the fight for control of the cities would be long and tens of thousands of lives would be lost. That didn’t happen. The Taliban successfully negotiated for and in some circumstances bought control of the country.

       Payments and assurances of safety were made to the powerful in the government and military for their acquiescence if not direct support. We’ve learned of foot soldiers selling their weapons, changing their clothes, and going home. Some reportedly hadn’t been paid for six months. Threats were of course also made. Were they cowards who chose self over country? Didn’t they care, as President Biden would have us believe.

       I was born a libra and therefore inflicted at birth with a lifetime of weighing both sides, not always blindfolded I must admit. President Trump announced in March 2020 that a deal with the Taliban had been struck and that we’d leave by May 31, 2021. That deal was made without allowing the central government to be involved in the negotiations. The deal included requiring the Afghan government to release 5,000 terrorist captives before the Taliban were obligated to negotiate with the government. Following a three-day loya jirga (meeting) in Kabul, called by Afghanistan’s president, Ashraf Ghani, representatives from throughout the country agreed to release the prisoners. That’s how important it was to them that there be peace. President Biden later announced that our remaining 2,500 soldiers would be out by September 11, knowing full well that the Taliban had violated the terms of the withdrawal agreement.

       Let's spend time in their shoes. Imagine you’re an Afghan civilian or military leader or one of the “boots on the ground”. You know that a surge began when the United States announced its complete withdrawal. The Taliban and Al Queda ranks rapidly grew and would continue to grow. The sideliners; Wahabis, Russia, and Pakistan would continue increasing their support. Their commitment has no timeline.

       You know that the Afghan central government does not have the money needed to support an army and police force necessary to protect the entire country. The central government has always been dependent on financial contributions from the United States and Nato to support the forces it has. If the US isn't willing to finance 2,500 soldiers in-country, how long would it be before the drone, weapons, and intelligence gathering support were cut from the American budget?

       Taliban leaders have been publicly assuring Afghans that they would not kill anyone who agreed to concede, there would be "amnesty for all", that girls would be allowed to go to school, including obtaining a university degree and, that life would return to normal, albeit governed by fundamentalist principles yet to be determined. You know the Taliban have been successful in bribing civilian and military leaders everywhere else and now they are coming to Kabul.

       Bottom line, a Taliban takeover in the eye of the most distant observer would appear inevitable. President Biden himself said, “the result would have been the same five years or fifteen years from now”. Fighting would only delay the inevitable with tremendous loss of life and property and for how long? Choosing not to continue fighting meant they didn’t care? So why should we? I'm angered by that rationale.

       Having weighed the options and consequences I think what they chose reflects their love of country, their longing for peace, and yes, self-preservation. All things considered, it was the smart thing to do.

       Bear in mind that there has been fighting inside Afghanistan for forty-two years and we helped finance or fought in country ourselves for thirty of those years. During this period, the following human losses suffered were;

During our Occupation (Sept 11, 2001 to date)

American Servicemen killed through April, 2021        2,448

Afghan police and military killed                      66,000

Afghan civilians killed                                47,245

During the war against Russia – December 24, 1979 – February 15, 1989 (a war we helped finance)

Estimated Afghans killed                      between 562,000 and 2 million

Estimated Afghan troops killed                 18,000

Estimated internally displaced Afghans          2 million

Estimated Afghans who fled Afghanistan        6 million

American troops killed                        0

President Biden is correct. We weren't nation-building. We were pursuing our national interests. First, to bring down Russia. Second to get Bin Laden, which took ten years. Then, another ten years to prevent terrorists from training and residing in Afghanistan. We all know how that is turning out.

       I hope for but would not rely on what the Taliban leaders have promised. I’m not convinced they will have control over their ranks. They didn’t during their first occupation of Kabul which began in 1996 and ended in September 2001. We are all extremely concerned about the future of Afghan girls and women.

       I must also raise this question? As of February 21st, we had 45,000 military personnel in Germany, 60,000 in Japan, and 30,000 in South Korea. (read more). We couldn’t afford or spare 2500 for Afghanistan? Our announcement of a compete withdrawal tipped the scales. Perhaps it was inevitable but a complete Taliban takeover could have been pushed out for the five to fifteen years President Biden mentioned in his justification. Who knows what would have happened in the interim?